Branden Robinson <branden@ecn.purdue.edu> writes:
> On Wed, Jun 07, 2000 at 07:48:51AM -0400, Michael Alan Dorman wrote:
> > Debian would be much less useful to me if I had to install MySQL by hand.
>
> Please explain how the GR would make you have to install mysql by hand.
Here is the sequence of events I envision:
1) If this GR passes, it removes the infrastructure for distribution
and maintenance (BTS, etc) of non-free packages.
2) Deprived of an infrastructure to either distribute the package or
manage user feedback, the package is no longer distributed.
Lest people howl that I am making a huge assumption here, please
let me at least explain my reasoning:
* Developers often package things they themselves need.
* Being developers, and thus having access to the infrastructure
Debian has for distributing packages, they then make the fruits
of their efforts available to others.
* Removing access to that infrastructure will have at least two
concrete results:
* It becomes more complicated to make these things available to
a large number of users.
* It becomes harder to reliably collect and track bug reports.
* Maintainer decides it isn't worth it to go to the trouble, and
not bother to distribute these non-free packages (though they
may still maintain them for private use).
3) I, and probably others, end up installing MySQL by hand, or more
likely maintaining my own packages.
I really don't think I'm overstating the case, though of course you
may decide to characterize me as a raving lunatic.
I certainly don't think the opinion I predicate upon this sequence of
events and that you quoted above can be disputed, since my opinion is
mine alone to arrive at.
Mike.